THE LITTLE 


HOUSE 

BY THE WAY 

By CADDIE WINSTON 



Illustrated by 
MARY McNAUGHTON. 
































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THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 
























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COPYRIGHT 

1912. 


PRESS OF 

THE EVENING RECORD 

PALESTINE, TEXAS 


This little book, with the heart of the 
writer, and a tenth of the proceeds, is dedi- 
cated to the Infant Department of the Bap- 
tist Sunday School of Palestine, Texas, 
which has given to her the sweetest sun- 
shine of life for more than twenty years, 







Illustrations 


“I never pass The Little House that I do not 
learn a lesson of life.” — Frontispiece. 

“Jim explained the goose had followed him 
and was so tired he had to tote it home.” 
— Page 6. 

“John was as proud of the fortune as if it 
was his.”— Page 23. 

“The Little Woman was rocking to and fro, 
eyes shut tight.” — Page 27. 

“They’ve gone to bed to save wood, and I’ll 
sit up and think awhile.” — Page 34. 

“I grabbed him to my heart, and God gave 
us all an understanding, in the dawning 
of that morning.” — Page 35. 



































































































































































■ 


















Contents 


Chapter 1 Pa^e 

“Introducing the Inmates” 3 

Chapter 2 

“A Show In Town” 6 

Chapter 3 

“A Recess of the Heart” 8 

Chapter 4 

“The Beginning of a Hero” 10 

Chapter 5 

“A Job In Sight” 12 

Chapter 6 

“News Withheld” 14 

Chapter 7 

“A Rare Case” . . . . . . 16 

Chapter 8 

“Whatever Is To Be, Will Be” 19 

Chapter 9 

“An Investment” 22 

Chapter 10 


“Man’s Extremity — God’s Opportunity”. .24 


Chapter 11 

“A Message” 27 

Chapter 12 

“Out of Sight — Out of Mind” 30 

Chapter 13 

“Christmas Cheer” 32 

Chapter 14 

“Heart Yearnings Satisfied” 34 






















I never pass The Little House that I do not learn a lesson of life. 



THE LITTLE HOUSE 
BY THE WAY 

By 

CADDIE WINSTON 

•i 


Illustrated by 
MARY McNAUGHTON. 






The Little House By 
the Way 


CHAPTER 1. 

Introducing the Inmates. 

I never pass the little house that I do 
not learn a lesson of life. I can hardly pass 
without stopping a little while, for I know 
that I shall bring sunshine away each time, 
and that the oft bringing will only leave 
more to follow. 

The little woman and her boys are so 
original and versatile, that it is good for 
one’s heartache and rheumatics to be in their 
presence. The little house is a rented one, 
for they are not able to have one of their 
very own. This little woman is a wag 2 
earner; her two boys are following in her 
footsteps, earning here and there what they 
can, while they also go to school, for she is 
an ambitious woman, and sees her boys 
through magnified glasses, which I think is 
a fine idea. She says “What’s the use of 
being afraid Jim’s going to be lazy and 
worthless ; I’ve picked him out for a capital- 
ist, for he can certainly turn money over 
and add to it ; and John, I’ve picked him for 
a preacher. Why, the meaning of John is 
a royal gift from God — do you think He’s 
going to give me a royal gift, and turn round 
and let that gift bring sorrow to me? Of 


4 THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 

course he ain’t got preachers’ ways yet, but 
some preachers ain’t got God’s ways, and 
I ain't discouraged about John, if I did hear 
him saying words the other day that cussing 
folks say. John didn’t know I heard him, 
and I wouldn’t tell him for nothing. If you 
make a boy think you think he is somebody, 
he’s pretty apt to be that somebody, and 
John’s going to be a preacher — I tell him so, 
and I have done asked Got to put it in his 
heart, and I’ll put it in his mind and life, 
and he’s going to be it.” 

Such inspiring talks as this attracted me 
to her. She said to me the other day, “Mr. 
Tilly, you know, is off hunting work and 
the raising of these boys is all on me.” Mr. 
Tilly was seen once by the neighbors, short- 
ly after the Tillys moved in the little house 
by the way. He left to hunt work, though I 
can’t see why he didn’t get it here ; the little 
woman gets more offers, she and her boys, 
than they can accept. Jim is only nine years 
and John is seven, but they are little hust- 
lers, taking right after their ma. Why, Jim 
got up at 4 o’clock every morning and went 
to pick cotton for Mr. Smith, two miles 
from town; Mr. Smith was to pay him four- 
bits a hundred for picking, but at the end 
of the week Jim was charged up two-bits 
for each dinner, so he didn’t make much. 
“That child is a good feeder,” his Ma said, 
“and I’m glad he got a whole week’s din- 
ners, tho’ I did put him up lunch; of course 
the country air made food tempting to him.” 
Another farmer wants Jim to pick peaches 
for him; he lives further out, and Jim’s Ma 
let him get a second-hand bicycle to go on. 
“We’d have to get up at three o’clock to go 
if I hadn’t, ’ she said. “I don’t mind our wak- 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 


5 


ing up so early, but it disturbs the neigh- 
bors so. I think Jim will get more on this 
job, he will get four-bits a day and with a 
nice little lunch and eating peaches all the 
time, he won’t have to eat dinner.” 


CHAPTER 2. 

A Show In Town. 

A first-class tent theatre is in town, and 
Jim Tilly is so taken up with it that he quit 
picking peaches. I guess he would have 
anyway, because he broke the bicycle, and it 
was too far to walk ; he made two dollars and 
a goose that week. The whole neighborhood 
was surprised when Jim came in late one 
evening, dragging a broke bicycle, and 
the goose fluttering and squaking under one 
arm. Mrs. Tilly was still out, delivering 
laces and handkerchiefs, for which she takes 
orders. Mrs. Willingham who lives just 
across from the little house, feels it her 
bounden duty to overlook things for Mrs. 
Tilly, so she came at once on hearing the 
goose, being that all the chickens next door 
were in a state of excitement. John was 
screaming with delight, and begging Jim to 
give it to him. While Mrs. Willingham was 
trying to settle and pacify things, Mrs. Tilly 
arrived. Jim was very important over the 
whole, and giving his ma the two dollars, 
explained the goose had followed him and 
was so tired he had to tote it home. The 
goose is a tame, affectionate thing, and I 
believe did follow Jim, though some of the 
neighbors seem to doubt it. “Ma, let me 
have it to sleep with ; Jim’s got Betsy.” 
Betsy is Jim’s little bull pup. “Jim’s got 
to take that goose back tomorrow.” “Back 
where? He followed me from the woods, 
and I ain’t gointer take it to the woods, like 
the two babes, to die there,” Jim said. Any- 



“Jim explained the goose followed him, and was so 
tired he had to tote it home.” 

































































































































THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 


7 


way, the goose is there yet, and gives per- 
fect satisfaction to all the neighborhood 
children, who play in the yard, while Mrs. 
Tilly is away selling laces and handker- 
chiefs. The tent theatre is the enchanted 
spot for the Tilly boys now. It is pretty 
near the little house, which adds charm. 
The boys distribute bills, bring water, and 
do lots of things for the show folks, and get 
passes. “I am not in favor of it, Jim, but 
seeing you and John are so smart and regu- 
lar financiers, we will go. A dime ain’t 
much for me to pay for a seat, and to see 
Hamlet played will take me back to my girl- 
hood, when your Pa took me to the theatre 
at the city hall one night. Hamlet was a 
fine young man. His Pa died and his Ma 
married a few months after, while every- 
body was still crying for him. I reckon it 
was the best way to get over her grief. 
They played it well, and we’ll all go and see 
these folks play it. We must start early 
and get a front seat.” “Ma, what’ll we do 
about Pa, if he comes?” John said wistfully. 
“The last I heard from your Pa, John, he 
hadn’t located a job yet, so we won’t think 
about him coming; it’s us a going that is 
bothering me now. Go hunt up a clean 
waist and take a good wash, and you’ll look 
as nice as anybody’s child. Jim, did the pup 
tear the sleeve clean out of your Sunday 
shirt? Get it, and while I spruce up a little, 
you take this needle and thread and just tack 
it in. I’ll fix it good when I have time, but 
we won’t have time for it now, for we must 
get there before the rush. Folks won’t be 
looking at you, anyhow; we are very small 
potatoes in a hill by the side of the theatre 
show, that everybody is going to look at.” 


CHAPTER 3. 

A Recess of the Heart. 

The little woman ran over to tell me 
about the theatre, the next morning; “See- 
ing you couldn’t go, I thought I’d come over 
first thing and tell you about it all. Jim and 
John never saw a theatre show before. 
They saw the spotted man and snakes last 
winter at the side show, but that is nothing 
to edify one’s mind. Hamlet was grand, 
and when he gave his solidiquy, I just cried. 
To be or not to be, he started off with. It 
carried me back to the night Mr. Tilly took 
me to the city hall to see Hamlet play, when 
I was a girl. I thought then I would a great 
deal rather be than not to be, but I have 
had a heap of ups and downs since then, 
and if it were not for Jim and John, I am 
sure I’d rather not be. Just think of them 
so smart and helping to their mother, even 
financiering the theatre show, for when we 
got there, Jim told the door man that I was 
his Ma, and he wouldn’t charge a cent, and 
we had the very front seats, tho’ it did hurt 
my neck, having to hold back to see the 
stage folks. I didn’t tell Jim though. John 
is too young to appreciate Hamlet but I 
know he understood it as far as he went. 
After his scare of the Ghost, he lay his head 
in my lap and his legs on Jim, and went 
sound asleep. It was awful shaming to me, 
trying to get him awake, he screeched so 
and got so mad. Jim even financiered that, 
and thought of a plan. He says, “Ma, don’t 
you feel like Pa has come while we was at 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 


9 


the theatre? I feel just like it; wake up 
John so we can show Pa the goose.” “Of 
course, that was enough for John. That 
child is always longing for his Pa, and want- 
ing stamps to write to him. He dreamed 
the other night he had found a job, and had 
sent for us all to come. I never throw cold 
water on such a nice dream, and when he 
asked me if I reckoned it would come true 
because he told it before breakfast, I said 
weTl wait and see, John. And we are wait- 
ing still, Mrs. Fuller, like we have for so 
long.” This was as much as she ever 
said. No reproach — but an aching heart. 
“What did Mr. Tilly do when you first mar- 
ried him ?” “When I first married Mr. Tilly 
his avocation was bookkeeping. The firm 
failed in business, and he lost out. He has 
been hunting bookkeeping ever since. He 
liked to found it once, but the man got well 
who was going to die ,and that put him on 
the hunt again. Mr. Tilly don’t like no other 
kind of avocation, seeing he is so well fitted 
for this.” “Oh, yes,” she answered, “he is 
able to do anything, but he is more fitted 
for bookkeeping. I am trying to keep up 
both ends till he finds it. I must go and 
deliver some handkerchiefs and laces for a 
wedding today. Please, Mrs. Fuller, just 
sorter notice over my way; the boys are at 
home. Jim hasn’t taken another job since 
the show come, he wants to go every night; 
and mornings, he is awful tired. It was hard 
work, the peach picking, and cotton picking, 
with the trips to the farms too, and I’m let- 
ting him sleep late. 


CHAPTER 4. 

The Beginning of a Hero. 

I just stopped at the little house for a 
minute, in passing. It was the last night 
of the tent theatre, and I was glad of it, for 
the whole town had gone stage struck. I 
am looking for a home talent to spring up 
any time. 

Jim Tilly came from the sink all washed 
and combed up — ready to go to the show. 
“Jim, you are not going tonight,” the little 
woman said. “Why, Ma. this is the best 
night of all, and they’re going to play Buf- 
falo Bill.” “No, Jimmie, you can’t go, you 
have gone show crazy, and I have made up 
my mind that you are going to bed. I hope 
your feet are as clean as your face. Now, 
don’t spoil such a smart face with such 
crooked looks. Remember, anybody can be 
pleasant when things come his way, but a 
hero is the man who smiles when things go 
the other fellow’s way.” Jim was a sorely 
disappointed little hero, and saw that things 
were going another fellow’s way. “Well, 
Ma, will you promise me sure, to wake me 
up, if there is a fire in town?” Jim was 
passionately fond of fires, and never missed 
one, if possible, but the whole Tilly family 
slept while a neighborhood fire was raging, 
which was the last one in town. Jim hadn’t 
got over the near and yet so far feeling of 
that fire, and gained the promise of Mrs. 
Tilly that since he couldn’t go to the last 
night’s performance, she would wake him up 
for the prospective fire. John, who had 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 11 


gone to bed piped out, “Ma, let Betsy sleep 
with me tonight — I never get to sleep with 
her — Jim’s got her all the time.” “No, she 
shan’t.” “I wouldn’t be so selfish, Jim; if 
you enjoy anything, you ought to pass it on.” 
Seeing she had conquered Jim in the show 
matter, she let this drop, and both boys were 
soon sound asleep in the same bed, with 
Betsy as far from John and as near to Jim, 
as possible. 

The little woman was weary with the 
day’s cares and labors. “Now that they are 
so comfortable, I will draw us a cup of tea 
and that will rest me.” “Do you know, Mrs. 
Fuller, I love to talk to you better than any- 
body, you are like my mother — never asking 
questions about folks’ business, but always 
interested in their work, and listening to 
what they say, without butting in — my 
mother used to say a good listener was more 
rare and more to be prized than a good talk- 
er.” 

1 knew by this that she had something 
on her mind and was going to confide in me. 
Just as we were going to drink our tea, Mrs. 
Willingham “Just stepped over for a little 
spell,” and broke it up for the time. 

My minute had grown into an hour — I 
had learned some sweet truths of life in that 
hour, and left with them in my heart. 


CHAPTER 5. 

A Job In Sight. 

Mr. Tilly had almost landed an avoca- 
tion. She was about to tell me the night 
Mrs. Willingham stepped in: “No, Mrs. 
Fuller, it is not exactly bookkeeping and then 
too it’s so kin to it, you can’t hardly tell them 
apart. He is going into the Life Insurance 
trade. We can all get our lives insured then 
at cost I reckon. Don’t all grocery folks and 
dry goods folks get their things at cost, Mrs. 
Fuller?” It was my opinion that they do. 
“Well, I reckon I’ll take out a thousand on 
Jim, for he’s worth every cent of it. And John 
ain’t worth no less than Jim. I’ll take a 
thousand on me, so they can have half 
apiece.” 

I suggested that Mr. Tilly might not see 
it in this light, and would want it turned 
over to him. “Well, if he does, I’ll pay more, 
and go to some other company. Seeing he is 
so misfortunate about money matters, I’d be 
afraid he’d fall through on this. No, I have 
not told the boys yet. If it don’t turn out 
so, they will be so disappointed. Why, they 
just cried because that man didn’t die that 
their pa was about to get his avocation, and 
I said then I would wait next time till he got 
it good and fast before I told them chaps 
anything about it. Children are so unrea- 
sonable, and think anything must be done 
whether it can or not. No, I shan’t quit my 
work on account of the Insurance. The boys 
must be educated, and I might miss that 
money when they start to school, for books 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 13 


cost as well as suits and shoes, and then the 
Insurance trade may not be so good at the 
start.” 

I proved to be a good listener to the prac- 
tical little woman’s talk, and kept it all in 
my heart, hoping that Mr. Tilly would turn 
up something to support his family on, for 
the little woman is weary, and down deep in 
her heart has almost despaired of a book- 
keeping job, and is beginning to think Mr. 
Tilly ought to do something else. She is 
worn out trying to make both ends meet, and 
has to stretch them like everything at that. 

“Ma, why don’t you pick Pa for a preach- 
er?” “John, your Pa was picked before I 
was a picker,” his Ma answered. John asked 
this on the way from meeting the other 
night. The meeting is held in a tent, at the 
same place the theatre was held, and the 
negihborhood is as interested in it as they 
was in the show. Mrs. Tilly believes in 
raising her children religious, and takes 
them to meeting every night that she ain’t 
too tired. “Of course, they go to sleep, Mrs. 
Fuller, and I have a time getting them home, 
and the foot-washing after, but the influ- 
ence, and the moral standing of it is what 
I am looking after. The other night we lost 
the key, Jim was too sleepy to go back with 
me, and fell asleep on the gallery until me 
and John got back. We searched the tent 
over before we found it. John made me 
promise to let him take charge of it after 
this.” 

Dear little woman, worn out and weary — 
but bright and cheery under all circum- 
stances. She is a lesson for me. 


CHAPTER 6. 


News Withheld. 

The whole neighborhood is interested in 
the Tillys, and when the postman stopped 
and handed a letter to John for his Ma, 
more than one stopped her work to run over 
a bit. I staid at home, remembering the 
lesson of a good listener she had given me, 
and knew that when all had gone and her 
work was over, she would come right to me 
with it all. Somehow, I have always been 
made a vessel for everybody’s trials and 
learned early in life to let the vessel be self 
sealing, and air tight. “Being we are so 
tired out, not of the meeting, Mrs. Fuller, 
but from it, we ain’t going tonight, and I 
told the boys we’d come over a bit with you ; 
if they get sleepy, they can just lay down 
on your nice floor and take a sleep. Jim is 
so used to giving his hand, he’ll miss it aw- 
fully, but the rest will be good for both of 
them.’’ I made them welcome, which indeed 
they were, and always are, for they are like 
salve to a wound, and a poultice to a rising; 
those boys are so full of courage, and don’t 
know what it is, either, and their ma is so 
brave. There is many a soldier who never 
fought a battle, and they don’t all wear 
breeches. We talked about the meeting, and 
the mourners and the joiners, until the boys 
went to sleep on the floor. Jim is much 
concerned about his sins, and John says he 
is a sinner too. “That child just won’t let 
his brother get ahead of him on anything,” 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 15 


Mrs. Tilly remarked. “It is well enough,” 
I said, “to let them come in while young, 
before the weeds take root, and make bitter 
flowers, that even flavor the milk so we 
can’t drink it. The more good you cram in 
them, the less room they’ll have for bad.” 

“I had a letter from Mr. Tilly today; I 
began to think I wasn’t going to get to read 
it, the neighbors are all so kind and inter- 
ested in us, and it seemed all took a notion 
to come over at the same time; I just stuck 
the letter in my bosom till they all left. Mrs. 
Willingham said she thought she saw the 
postman give John a letter, and Jim spoke 
up and says, he did ; and it was a valentine 
for me, telling me to mind my business. 
Jim can manage and financier equal to a 
grown-up boy. He did get a valentine once 
for fun like that, but just to think of that 
child thinking of that valentine at the exact 
right time. I read the letter at last and Mr. 
Tilly will start the Insurance business there, 
and after he gets his first money, will send 
for us. It nearly breaks my heart to leave 
you all, Mrs. Fuller; you have all been so 
good to me; Mrs. Willingham is always 
ready to watch the chaps and tell me every- 
thing that happens, when I am out ; and you 
are always giving me handouts. I will never 
forget you.” A tear was in her eye. “Oh, Mrs. 
Tilly, if everybody w^as as grateful as you, 
this would be such a smooth world. Why it’s 
just like what they call at a concert, incore. 
When you talk like that, I wish I could do 
more for you. You know they clap and cheer 
until the performer comes back and does it 
again. Don’t be too sad Mrs. Tilly, it will 
all turn out all right,” I told her. 


CHAPTER 7. 

A Rare Case. 

Jim Tilly was sick. The neighbors are all 
good and kind as can be. Dr. Ableman 
called in another doctor and they said he had 
got the Apendy Sighters, and would have to 
go to the hospital and be operated on. “See- 
ing as I am hardly able to make enough to 
buy our vitals and other things, I don’t know 
what to do,” the little woman said to Mrs. 
Willingham. Sometimes I believe that poor 
folks bear these things better than rich ones, 
because they have to scheme and think about 
how they are going to pay. while all the 
rich ones have to think about is their grief 
over it. John piped out, “Ma, we’ll sell Sallie 
and the pup.” Sallie was the goose. John 
thought since they had trained her, she 
would bring a big price and it was a sweet 
thought in him, being that Jim had give 
her to him. The pup would not bring so 
much. Mrs. Willingham spoke up, “No, you 
don’t have to sell the goose, neither the pup, 
what is this neighborhood for, and what’s 
that meeting been for, who is my neighbor, 
Mrs. Fuller — ain’t it the one who needs me ?” 
I believed so. “Then, Mrs. Fuller, you start 
the ball a rolling; they’ll all do what you 
say.” I thought of my five dollars I had 
saved so long to buy me a new bonnet, and 
then I thought of little Jim, of how he used 
to go before day apicking peaches and cot- 
ton, and not having dinners like he ought. 
I thought of how he filled up on peaches and 
came home so tired out, and how he was sick 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 17 


and to be cut open to get the Apendy Sight- 
ers out, else he would die. The five dollars 
would have choked me, and I said, ‘Til start 
the ball with five dollars.” By night, be- 
tween chickens, butter and eggs, that the 
corner grocery man took to help out, the 
money was raised, except the last five dol- 
lars. The neighbors are worth living by, 
they are good for everything, and dimes was 
pulled out of old stockings, put away for 
Christmas. John told Dr. Ableman that all 
the money was raised but five dollars, and 
asked him to take the goose for that. The 
doctor, not knowing the remarkable traits 
of Sal, and the amusing capers she could cut, 
told John he would take the goose, and for 
him to keep her until he called for her. 
Everything was arranged, and a hack wagon 
came for Jim. I went with his ma, and we 
walked; we left him all night alone with the 
nurses. They was to take it out in the 
morning, and the doctor didn’t want us there. 
Poor John cried himself to sleep over Jim. 
We could hardly wait for morning to come, 
and as soon as we could, we three went 
walking towards the hospital, and sat down 
where we could watch it. I went up to the 
door and asked the nurse how Jim was. He 
was just fine, and slept well; they dieted 
him and had just scrubbed him for the op- 
eration. I went back and told his ma all 
this. In about an hour we heard the awful- 
est shrieks. The little woman shut her eyes 
and covered them with her handkerchief, 
sobbing all the time. The shrieks got nearer, 
and looking up the road, to my amazement, 
was Jim in his nightshirt, tearing through 
the woods. “Jim Tilly,” I screamed, “Com^ 
here.” I thought he had lost his mind too. 


18 THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 


The doctors and nurses were following him, 
and they all landed under the trees with us. 
“What on earth does this mean?” I asked. 
“I won’t have it took, I won’t, I won’t,” Jim 
screamed. The doctor said after Jim was 
all ready, and on the table, they went to give 
him the ether in the false face, and he 
jumped off the table, and ran like lightning, 
screaming, “I won’t have it took.” 

We all went home, without Jim’s breech- 
es, hailing the first wagon that passed. 


CHAPTER 8. 

Whatever Is To Be, Will Be. 

Strange to say, Jim did not die; in fact, 
he began to improve right away. I reckon 
the surgical shock cured him. Anyway, it 
was a scare to the whole negihborhood. The 
little woman wanted to give the money all 
back, but I would not hear to it. “Just take 
it and put it in the bank, so you’ll have it 
next time,” Mrs. Willingham said; and so 
she did. “I’m sure proud of my goose, ma, 
she feels like she was bran new. If I was 
going to let the doctor have her, I wouldn’t 
want to look at her every day anyhow.” 
“I knew the doctor would never have taken 
the goose, but I wanted John to be honor- 
able,” she said to me that night, when we 
were rehearsing the whole thing. “Mrs, 
Fuller, maybe it was the best that Jim run 
off from them doctors. Maybe if they had 
cut it out, he would never have run again. 
Some preachers say, whatever is to be, will 
be, and I don’t believe that cutting was to 
be.” I didn’t either, seeing Jim was so 
hearty again. We all had a lesson, and it 
was to be better to each other, because we 
none of us know when our Apendy Sighters 
will have to be cut out. 

Everything is moving along now; Mrs. 
Tilly is doing well with orders, and every- 
body is good to her. No questions are ever 
asked about Mr. Tilly. Nobody knows about 
his insurance avocation but me and her, and 
some day she is looking for a letter with 
money in it, and then before long she will 


20 THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 

be leaving the little neighborhood, where 
she has had so many ups and downs. The 
boys started to school; John came in and 
said, “Mrs. Fuller, see if I look fitten;” he 
meant, looked nice enough. I grabbed him to 
my heart and said, “You are fitten for a 
King’s Palace,” and he is. Such truth and 
honor as that boy has got. He came in 
yesterday and told me that while I was away 
someone come and left the gate open, and 
Sallie got in and eat up my turnip patch; 
now, he didn’t have to tell me that; nobody 
knew it. It was his honor — he cried over it. 

“You jtist come and help me, John, and 
we’ll plant some more, and soon they’ll be 
as big as them,” I said. And he will come, 
too, for he never forgets. I am glad school 
has started, for now the boys will be there 
most all day, and that will be some help to 
the little woman, for she hates not to know 
where they are. Since the meeting, she 
feels that she must give to the church, and 
those less fortunate than herself, and she is 
denying herself things that she ought to 
have. “Why, it is a pleasure for me to be 
able to give, I have so much done for me, I 
want to do for others,” she says. If I knew 
Mr. Tilly wasn’t going to send for them, 
and that she’d have to keep up everything 
all the time, I’d fix up some way to buy a 
horse for her. I could let her have my old 
buggy, it seems I’ll never have another horse 
for it. It is too hard for her to have to walk, 
and deliver and take orders — I wish men was 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 2l 


as smart as women. Here she is, making a 
living, and keeping the little house as clean 
as a pin, and training the boys, and cooking 
between times, and all the time athrowing 
out sunshine, a heap more of it than what 
comes in. 

What man can do all this? 


CHAPTER 9. 

An Investment. 

Jim has proved some more financiering 
that may mean a horse for his ma. She had 
not turned in for the night; it was a very 
busy day, and everybody wanted their ar- 
ticles at once; Mrs. Willingham was keeping 
up with the boys, and the little house for 
the little woman ; Jim had been gone all day, 
not showing up after school. I had looked 
over, a hundred times, but no Jim, and it was 
suppertime, and he always fixed something 
for supper. Sometimes he got all the papers 
of the neighborhood and run to the tomoly 
man who give him tomolys for papers. I 
began to think of what I could fix for the 
little woman and chaps, when I heard an 
awful noise. Every neighbor came running 
out of the house. There was Jim, coming 
as fast as he could on a donkey. “Oh, Jim, 
where did you get him?” John screamed. 
“It ain’t no him, and she is mine for good 
and ever more.” “Will she holler all the 
time like that, Jim?” “Of course not, she 
is lonesome from her home, but she’ll like us 
all, John, and she don’t eat nothing — why, a 
few shucks and ma’s dishwater will keep her 
rolling fat.” By this time the little woman 
had got home, tired and worn out. “Jim, 
did that donkey follow you home like the 
goose?” “No, Ma, honest she is ours to 
keep and have.” Jim wasn’t going to tell 
before everybody the wherefores of his 
prize, and I just listened, knowing after 
awhile they’d all be over to tell me. I fixed 


John was as proud of the fortune as if it was his. 




























































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THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 23 


a little supper and called them all over. After 
awhile Jim said, “Mrs. Fuller, ain’t she a 
beauty?” I thonght sh$ was, and asked if 
he thought she’d holler throughout the 
night, seeing some of the neighbors is easy 
woke. That wise Jim had brought a sack 
of shucks with her, and we were solid for 
one night. “Now, Jim Tilly, sit down right 
here and tell me where you got that donkey.” 
If he ain’t the schemeinist child I ever saw. 
He heard about a man p^th^'ng up his crop, 
and wanting to trade the donkey to some- 
body to help him. If Jim didn’t go from 
school, and is going every day and help, and 
got the donkey in advance, and the shucks 
throwed in. “I’ll be gone till dark, Ma, but 
just think, we got a donkey.” I began to 
see a horse in trade for the donkey, and the 
old buggy pulled out, and the little woman 
riding, peddling her goods, but I listened and 
did not advise yet. “Jim, you are a regular 
financier, and you’ll make us all rich some 
day,” his ma said, which made him two 
inches bigger. “Me and John will fix some- 
thing for supper every night ’til the donkey 
is worked out, Jim, and I believe it is a good 
investment on your time. Your ma is cer- 
tainly rich in live goods.” “Jim, let’s name 
her Flora,” John said wistfully, and from 
that day she would come to the name, and 
developed into a fine strong little animal, 
Jim riding her every day to the farm to help 
with the crop, and home always safe for 
supper. John was as proud of the fortune 
as if it was his. Jim said, “Of course, she’s 
all of ours, John, when the crop is gathered.” 


CHAPTER 10. 


Man’s Extremity — God's Opportunity. 

The cold days of winter were almost up- 
on us. The little woman was still cheerful 
and though weak in faith, was still looking 
for a letter, with money to help them 
through the winter, or else to take them to 
Mr. Tilly. “Just which ever is the best for 
him, Mrs. Fuller. Sometimes, I’m afraid, 
I’m losing faith in man, but it makes me 
lean on God more. Here’s the winter on us, 
and the boys have got to have clothes, and 
we have to have wood. I’ve got such a nice 
little stove, to warm up and cook on at the 
same time. It was give to me by one of my 
customers ; she used it one winter when they 
was kinder short of money. It takes one 
who has suffered, to understand one who is 
hurting all the time. Now, if she hadn’t 
been where I am now, she never would have 
thought of giving me that stove. Well, I’ve 
got the stove, and that is the most import- 
ant for I couldn’t warm up and cook by the 
charcoal furnace this winter, and when we 
do get some wood, the stove is up, all ready 
for it.” She came over the night after this 
talk, she and the boys, “just to warm up a bit. 
Mrs. Fuller, and to tell you the good luck.” 
I thought of the letter. “What do you think, 
Jim’s been doing some more financiering 
and John’s going to help, too.” “Ma, let me 
tell Mrs. Fuller, ’cause I got it.” It was hard 
to tell who was the proudest, the little 
woman of her boys, or the boys of the priv- 
ilege of being her boys. “Go on, Jim, and 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 25 


let’s hear it, tho’ 1 won’t be surprised at 
•anything you can do, after you worked a 
donkey out.” “A goose, too,” piped John. 
“Yes, John, and honest as daylight, too. I 
believe every bit of it. Sallie being so hap- 
py with you all, makes me know she was a 
prodigal goose, and has found a home.” 

Jim went on to state that he met the man 
he worked the donkey out for, and he told 
him if he and John would come over every 
day after school, and help him clear up some 
ground for a potato patch, he would give 
them a load of wood every Saturday, and 
bring it to them. “Now, if that ain’t heaven 
sent, Mrs. Fuller, I’ll give it up. I hate for 
the boys not to have any time to play, but 
we all have to work seems like.” “Why, 
Ma, we’ll play all the time we are cutting the 
trees; we’ll play we are American citizens 
and are fighting for our rights, and that 
the trees are our enemies trying to take our 
land.” “I’m the captain,” said John. “Yes, 
and Jim’s the general and will bring it out 
all right. Mrs. Tilly, you are rich with two 
such strong arms to lean on.” She gave me 
a satisfied smile. Well, things did begin to 
look bright. The wood was a blessing. The 
little woman had all the orders she could 
fill for Thanksgiving, which was coming 
faster than we were getting ready for it. 
The boys kept well and strong. The donkey 
toted double, which was another blessing, 
both boys going right from school to the 
country, and getting home, always safe and 
ready for a hearty supper. Somehow, I had 
begun to feel like they all kinder belonged 
to me, and having no kith or kin, they filled 
a great big part of my life. I always was 
looking for the letter, doubting too if it 


26 THIS LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 

would ever come, and dreading it more than 
I could ever say. They meant so much to 
me ; the little house, and the little folks, that 
seemed to ever inspire me to nobler thoughts 
and better deeds. The little woman makes 
me want to be more patient, more sacrific- 
ing. Jim makes me see the world is good, 
and a job waiting for everybody in it; all 
you’ve got to do is to go at it. John, our 
Preacher John, shows me every day, life is 
full of sunshine, and I must catch my share, 
or somebody else will get it. 

Is it any wonder I dread the letter? 



'The Little Woman was rocking to and fro, eyes shut 
tight.” 





CHAPTER 11. 

A Message. 

“Mrs. Fuller, Ma says come over and see 
her cook supper on the little stove,” John 
came running with this message two days 
before Thanksgiving. I knew the little 
woman wanted me to eat supper with them, 
and I would enjoy nothing half as well. I 
took all the fresh eggs just gathered, for I 
knew how the boys loved hard boiled eggs, 
and I was going to see they had enough. 
The stove was a wonder, and warmed us all 
up and cooked for us too. The boys felt to 
call the stove It, was almost sacreligious, 
and always said “She’s a dandy,” which she 
was. 

Supper was over, and we was having a 
nice time clearing away the dishes, listening 
to the boys talk of the day at school and 
the woods, when a knock sounded on the 
door. It seemed Mrs. Tilly from the very 
first sound of the knock was limp and un- 
done. I went to the door — it was a tele- 
graph message “For Mrs. James Tilly, 
Charges collect.” Of course my heart was 
sad, for it could be nothing but sending for 
them. After paying the boy and signing for 
it, she turned to me, “I can’t open it, Mrs. 
Fuller — you open it and read first, and I’ll 
shut my eyes.” Poor eyes, so weary with 
looking for the letter that never came — 
poor heart, ever yearning for the perfection 
that was never to be. How could I tell her? 
I read slowly, wiping my spectacle glasses 
again and again. “What is it, Mrs. Fuller?” 


28 THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 


Jim asked impatiently. The little woman 
was rocking to and fro, eyes shut tight. I 
read: 


“TELEGRAM. 

“(Charges Collect.) 

“James Tilly died suddenly in his room 
today. No means. Wire at once. 

“WILLIAM HARRIS, 
“Mayor of Lone Pine.” 

“That’s Pa, and we’ll have to send for 
him.” “How?” piped John. “Oh, Mrs. Fuller, 
what will we do?” asked the little woman, 
who was facing the situation bravely. But I 
could see shattered hopes in her face, and a 
longing for things to be, that never were, in 
her eyes. I saw a consultation was necessary, 
and sent John over for Mrs. Willingham. 
She come in her cheer-up clothes, saying, 
“Things ain’t never so bad, they couldn’t 
be worse.” John had told her on the way. 
“Of course, it is a sad Thanksgiving for us 
all, Mrs. Fuller, but we can make it bright, 
there’s always somebody to make glad in 
this world.” It would take more money for 
this function than it would for the Apendy 
Sighters, and we began to plan. The little 
woman had that money in the bank for hard 
times, and if it ever came, it was now. I 
started another five dollars, and soon it was 
all in sight, and we wired a night message 
to send Mr. James Tilly right on, to his wife, 
?nd the banker wired the money to the may- 
or— when anything is got to be done, it can 
always be. Mr. Tilly was met by all the 
neighbors, and a nice hack wagon was fixed 
in black to bring him home in. Everybody 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 29 


thought he looked just like hisself, tho’ I 
couldn’t see how they could tell, for they 
never saw him but the one time, but I did- 
n’t say nothing. The poor little woman was 
submissive to it. I think he turned out bet- 
ter than she expected, deep down in her 
heart. Well, we made a Thanksgiving oc- 
casion out of it; and on Thanksgiving morn- 
ing we all went to the little graveyard, walk- 
ing slow; of course, Mr. Tilly went in the 
hack wagon that we had decorated in black 
It all went off nice and peaceful. The 
preacher read about “Man born of woman 
is of few days and full of trouble.” I couldn’t 
see where Mr. Tilly’s trouble came in, of 
course his days was few, being he was only 
forty-five, and so many live twice that. I 
made them go home with me for Thanksgiv- 
ing dinner; Mrs. Willingham, too. Poor Jim 
seemed to feel it, and said, “Oh, Ma, why 
did God send Pa to us thataway?” John 
piped in, “So we could go to a funeral, of 
course.” 


CHAPTER 12. 

Out of Sight— Out of Mind. 

Thanksgiving Day ended with a funeral, 
a dinner, and a pound party that night. 
While the little woman and the boys was 
eating dinner with me, the neighbors was 
all planning for a Thanksgiving pound party 
to be given at the little home, “to cheer them 
up a little after their great loss,” Mrs. Able- 
man said. She was the doctor’s wife, and 
what she said always counted. “Yes, in- 
deed, the loss of a husband and father is 
great, and what little we can do to make up 
for it, we must.” She got them all seeing 
the Tilly family’s great loss, and every 
neighbor brought something except me and 
Mrs. Willingham. Seeing we was already 
there, going home with them after dinner, 
it surprised us. I felt a little glad they got 
it up, without Mrs. Willingham telling them 
to. There’s nothing like talents being 
brought out of each neighbor. It won’t do 
for one to have it all. Well, it sure was a 
surprise to us all. The first one brought 
some Thanksgiving fruit and “just come to 
stay a bit on account of the sorrowful time.” 
They kept coming, and bringing things, un- 
til the litle house was full of folks and all 
kind of nice things to eat and wear. There 
was enough to last them the winter through. 

I always heard it was an ill wind that 
brought nobody good— and I was beginning 
to see the funeral was the best thing that 
could have happened for us all. The little 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY SI 


woman was so proud and grateful, she just 
cried. 

Jim and John popped corn for the crowd, 
and it all ended so happy. You would never 
thought a funeral was took from the little 
house that day. They begged me to stay 
all night, after the rest had gone. I don’t 
think they knew whether it was because 
they was sad or glad that they wanted me. 
When we looked through everything, and 
the boys had tried on everything in the way 
of dry goods, the little woman said, “Oh, 
Mrs. Fuller, God is good, he took Mr. Tilly, 
and then turned right around and give me 
more than what he took.” I believed that 
with all my soul. She did not cry for him, 
she only grieved for what might have been, 
and was not. It made me think of my old 
reader — 

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, 

The saddest is this — it might have been.” 

Poor little woman, this loss is buried 
now, deep, and I believe in her heart, the 
sun is already shining a little beam. 

“Why, Ma, here’s a sack of bran for 
Flora, and corn for Sallie.” “Jim, see if 
you can’t find something for Betsy, too,” 
John piped. “Pa is not any happier than 
what we are, is he, Mrs. Fuller?” 

“No, John, I believe not.” We read a 
chapter and said the Lord’s prayer, and then 
I told them all to let’s shut the book about 
Mr. Tilly, tight, and not open it any more. 
Nobody knowing him, he was soon forgot. 


CHAPTER 13. 

Christmas Cheer. 

Everybody was so busy, the days just 
flew. Christmas was coming, and no re- 
mains of crying or funerals was seen after 
Thanksgiving. 

It all ended so nice, that nobody could 
squeeze a cry. Mr. Tilly was certainly a 
blessing to the whole neighborhood, because 
it was through him that everybody felt 
kinder and sweeter. It started with Jim’s 
going to the hospital, and now everybody is 
kin to each other. It was the first grown- 
up funeral for ten years, and it was a com- 
fort and blessing to us all. The little woman 
and her boys are heroes with everybody, and 
I believe the loss of Mr. Tilly will make 
them rich, with Jim’s financiering throwed 
in. The neighbors was going to have a 
Christmas tree and festival at the school- 
house, and everybody was working for it. 
“Mrs. Fuller, I’m going to get ma a black 
dress for my gift ; don’t you think she ought 
to wear mournin’ for pa?” “Jim, I told you 
we would shut the book, and anyway what 
you want your ma to wear mournin’ for, 
when she’s got more sunshine in her heart 
than she has had since the day you was 
borned? No, we’ll get her a rocking chair 
together, so she can rock and sing ‘Praise 
God, from whom all blessings flow.’” “I 
want to put my money in too,” piped John. 
“Yes, you shall, and she’ll have all the bless- 
ings together,” I told them a few days be- 
fore Christmas, and we put our money to- 


THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 33 


gether and bought a fine one. The Christ- 
mas tree and festival was fine. The little 
woman and her boys got more than any- 
body else. “They deserve more,” Mrs. Able- 
man said, “than anybody else. Haven’t they 
had more trouble?” That was enough, for 
nobody would say a thing against Mrs. Able- 
man’s thoughts. Christmas week was a 
happy one. The school was out for two 
weeks; the boys had enough wood until it 
started again; the little woman was taking 
a holiday from her laces and handkerchiefs, 
and everybody was spending the day or tak- 
ing supper with each other. Mrs. Ableman 
started it by having the Tillys; then every- 
body wanted them. Of course, they could- 
n’t go to every place every day, and some- 
body else then was invited, so Mrs. Willing- 
ham and me got to go lots in place of them. 
It was all right to me. A heap of folks say 
if they can’t be first they won’t be last ; but 
when it comes to Christmas dinners, there’s 
nothin’ in that saying for me. The neigh- 
borhood has certainly had a red-letter 
Thanksgiving and Christmas, too. 


CHAPTER 14. 

Heart Yearnings Satisfied. 

We was all getting back to every day life, 
with its cares and joys too. It can’t be Sun- 
day and holiday all the time. Shakespeare 
must have had a long holiday, when he said, 
“If all the days were playing holidays, to 
play would be as irksome as to work.” 

The whole neighborhood had settled down. 
The little woman was busy, tho’ her business 
wasn’t so good, being everybody bought for 
the holidays. She said more than once, 
'‘how thoughtful and long seeing the neigh- 
bors was, Mrs. Fuller, to give us so much. 
J just put everything not in use in two big 
boxes and nailed them up till we need them, 
and we are just as savin’ as if we didn’t 
have another thing. There’s no use ’cause 
we’ve got it, to use it all at once,” and I 
thought she was wise. 

The new year was in the second month, 
and was borrowing winds from * March. You 
couldn’t hang your washing out that day, 
and as night come on, it was worse. I looked 
over at the little house for the last time be- 
fore I went to bed. It seemed I could see it 
shaking by the light of the lamp, going up 
and down. Then the light went out for good. 
I waited to see if it was blowed out by the 
wind, but it wasn’t, for it was not lit again. 
“They’ve gone to bed to save wood,” I said 
to myself, “and I’ll sit up and think a while.” 

It’s funny, people tell you, you can think, 
or not think, just as you please. This was 
my night to think, and I defy anybody to 



‘They’ve gone to bed to save wood, and I’ll sit up and 
think awhile.” 











































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THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 35 


say I could help it. The sighing wind first 
brought it about, reminding me of the past. 
“Here I am, lonely and utterly alone in this 
world, my heart is restless and sighing, even 
as the wind, for rest. The light of my life 
is gone. The star of my life is dimmed. The 
song of my heart is hushed; happiness was 
mine for a brief time, but now it only is in 
making others happy that I find it.” I un- 
locked the little chest so sacred to me. There 
was the same soldier boy picture, brought 
to me thirty years ago, just before we were 
married. It was stained with oft shed tears, 
and they still are falling. There was the 
little gown, made by hand, for there were 
no machines then. There was the little 
crewel hood, waiting for our baby that was 
to be. Happy day, that never came. Two 
mounds in a far off town are the end of it 
all! With tears in my eyes, and a heavy 
heart, I pulled the curtains aside, to look 
once more, at The Little House by the Way, 
that held the dearest things of life to me. 
It was very light, too light, and to my hor- 
ror, the Little House was burning up. I ran 
screaming all the way. They were saved. 
The neighbors still talk of the miracle. Jim 
saved the boxes of things, nailed up, and run 
for the donkey. I took them all home with 
me, Sallie, Betsy, and all. 

We didn’t sleep that night, but talked; 
and in the early dawn I told my life story 
to the little woman, and her boys, who are 
mine too. I told them of the loneliness of my 
heart and life, and that I wanted them all 
for mine, and my home for theirs. Jim said, 
“Ma, le’s all of us, Sallie, the donkey, Betsy 
and all, be hers forever more.” I grabbed 
Iiim to my heart, and God gave us all an 


36 THE LITTLE HOUSE BY THE WAY 

understanding, in the dawning of that morn- 
ing. The little house by the way is gone 
forever, but the inmates, all of them, are 
mine, until God calls them, or me, home. 

Who can doubt that while I was think- 
ing, that awful windy night, that God was 
hurrying, to satisfy my heart’s hungering? 

























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5 1913 


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



0 002 033 540 3 












